Incubator



W. L.. LONG Jan. 24, 1933 INCUBATOR Filed Oct. 8 1929 Jan. 24, 1933. w. L'. LONG 1,895,042

INCUBATOR F ed Oct. y8. 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 In/uente@ g WL .lf/071,7

A '4 I l l l l aww/m Jan. 124, 1933. w. 1 I QNG` 1,895,042

INCUBATOR Filed 060.8, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 F1' -45- Jan. 24, 1933. W, L, LONG 1,895,042

INQUBATOR l Filed Oct. 8, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Eg-7- /f 6 ij-Eli Patented Jan. 24, 1933 nutren .stares WILBE-R L. LONG', OFKERKSVILLE, MISSOURI;

INCUBATOR Application filed Getober 8, i929. 'Seriali No. 398,242.

This invention relates to incubators, and has for one of its objects torprovide a novel7 simple and highly etlicient apparatus of this character which shall be adapted to employ as a warming medium air heated outside thereof and forced thereinto and which shall be adapted to utilize as a warming medium air heated by the apparatus forming the subject matter of Patent #1,694,351, granted to me December 4i, 1928.

The invention has for a further object to provide an incubator of the character sta'cd which shall embody a cabinet and a hot air conduit located within the cabinet and adapted to receive the air from the heating apparatus and distribute it throughout the cabinet in the most efl'ective manner. Y

The invention has for a further object to provide an incubator of the character stated wherein the hot air conduit shall be located close to the bottom of the cabinet and wherein vthe cabinet shall have inner rounded corners to eiilect the uniform distribution and the free movement of the hot air throughout the cabinet.

The invention has for a further object to provide an incubator of the character stated wherein the hot air conduit shall be located parallel to the bottom wall of the cabinet and supported in a manner to permit it to be adjusted toward and away from said wall.

The invention has for a further object to mov/'ide an incubator. of the character stated y wherein the cabinet shall bc provided in the top thereof with air outletports of such formation as to permit the free passage of air therethrough and which shall embody novel and readily adiustable means for varye effective size of the ports.

,fha invention has for a. further object to -i'roride an incubator of the character stated vhich shail' embody tray supporting ns of such construction as to permit the I s to readily mounted thereon or removed therefrom and adjusted vertically fith respect to the cabinet.

The in A. cntion has for further obiect to jl'irovidc an incubator of the character stated means through the medium of which the -i s may be readily adjusted on their supporting means to and secured in a horizontal or a forwardly or rearwardly inclined position without opening the cabinet.

The inventonhasfor a still furtherfobject to provide an incubator of the character stated which shall. embody a hatching compartment adapted to be warmed by hot air conveyed thereto by the hot'air conduit of the cabinet and embodying a construction adapted 'lo permit the shedded down of the chicks to be lconveyed therefrom bythe passage therethrough of the heated air.

With the foregofng and other .objects in view, the nature of which will appear as the description proceeds,the invention consiss in the' construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and clashed; and illustrated in the accompanying drawings; Vwherein Figure l is a view partly in side elevation and -partlyin vertical sect ion of an incubator constructed in'acco'rdance with my invention;

Figure 2 is av sectional view taken on a plane extending horizontally through the incubator ata point adjacent the upper side or wall or'floor thereof; v

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the vertical plane indicated by the line 3--3 of Figure 2; e

Figure-4t is a. sectional' View taken on the vertical plane indicated by the line 44-4; of Figure l;

Figure 5 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in vertical section of the air heat- 'ing apparatus; i 'f v Figure 6 is a sectional viewtaken on the horizontal planes indicated by the line 6--6 of Figure 4; l i

Figure 7 is a detailedl view illustrating the manner in which the trays of each series are connected together'for adjustment simultaneouslyl into a horizontal or inclined position; Y Figure 8 is a perspective View of one of the brackets by which the trays are connected to the slides;

Figure 9 is a perspective view of a fragmentary portion of oneof the slides;

Figure 10 isa sectional view'illustrating the means for controlling the escape of heated air from the cabinet of the incubator;

ior

hot air conduit illustrating a modified form of the air outlet ports therefor, and

Figure 14 is a similar view illustrating a further modified form of the air outlet ports.

lReferring in detail to the drawings, 1 designates the cabinet of the incubator which is of elongated rectangular formation in plan andfcomprises a bottom wall 2, side walls 3, a top wall 4, a front wall 5 and a rear wall 5". The walls 3 consistof doors 6, 7 and 8. The doors 6 and 7 are secured by hinges 9 to posts 10, and the doorv 8 is secured. by hinges 11 to the rear wall 5. The walls 2-5a may be of anyconstruction adapted to prevent the radiation of heat therethrough. Strips 12 are secured in all of the inner corners of the cabinet 1, and are provided with concave inner faces to insure the unobstructed circulation of the heated air within the cabinet.

The air for Warming the cabinet 1 is heated` in an a aratus 13 which is located outside of the ca met, and comprises a chamber 14 closed at one end and communicating` at its other end with the intake port 15 of a blast fan or blower 16, an electrlc heating unit 17 located within the chamber 14, and annular chambers 18 surrounding the chamber 14 andl provided with ports 19 which establish communication between the chambers 18 and between said chambers and the chamber 14, certain of the ports communicating withfthe atmosphere; The air flows through the chambersflS into the chamber 14 and vduring its circuitous passage through the chambers 18, it is initially heated. During its passage through the chamber 14, the air is heated to a higher degreeand it is forced from this chamber into a conduit or pipe 2O by the blast fan 16. The conduit 20 is located within the a cabinet 1 and is connected to the discharge port 21 of the blast fan 16. The impelle-r of the blast fan 16 is operated by an electric motor 22, and the blades 23 of the impeller are secured in slots 24 formed in the armalture shaft 25 of the motor. Each pair of the blades 23 is formed from a single blank, and

the slots 24 extend longitudinally of the armature shaft 25 and intersect each other at the axis of the shaft. The connected edge portions of the blades 23 are located in the slots 24, and they are secured to the armature shaft 25 by a nut 26 which is engaged with the outer end of the shaft and contacts with the outer edges of the blades. As the air heating apparatus 13 forms the subject matter ofthe patent hereinbefore identified, it is believed that a further description of the apparatus is unnecessary. f

, adjustable closure for the slot, and contacts with the outer surface of the front wall 5.

The slide 28 is held against the outersurface ofthefront wall 5 by a guide 29 which is secured, as at 30,to said wall. The front end portion of the conduit 2O passes through andfhas a snug iit in an opening 31l in the slide 28. The slide 28 supports the front end ofthe conduit 20 for adjustment towardy and away rfrom the bottom wall 2 of thecabinet l, and the front end of the conduit is secured in adjusted positionby elements32 passing through the slide 28 and engaging the front wall 5. The rear end of the conduit 20 is also supported for adjustment toward and awayk from the bottom 2 of the cabinet 1k by means `similar toY that employed for adjustablysupporting the frontend of the conduit. The slot, slide, guide and the slide securing elementsof said rear means are designated 27 a, 28, 29 and 32, respectively. To permit the adjustment of the conduit 20, the yfront or intake end thereof is connected by a fiexible coupling 33 to the discharge port 21 of the blast fan 16. e

The conduit 20 is provided in its lower side and at f opposite sides of its vertical center with outlet ports 34 which may becircular, as shown in Figures 1 and 13, and the conduit may be provided with lips 35 extending downwardly from the upper walls of the ports as shown in Figure 13. If desired, the outlets of the conduit 20 may be in the lform of arcuate slots 36,r as yshown in Figure 14.` The heated air, as it is delivered to the conduit 20 by the blower 16, flows under high velocity from the outlet port 34 of the'conduit, the velocity of the air being greater than it is possible to impart to air by convection alone. The heated air iows downwardly from the conduit-20 into the cabinet 1 at opposite sides of the longitudinal center of the cabinet, and after impinging against thebottom wall 2, is deflected upwardly by the lower cornerstrips 12. The heated airi'fiows upwardly against the sides 3, and when it reaches the upper cornerstrips 12, it is deflected by said strips along the to wall 4. The air passes from the cabinet V1 tirough series of outlet ports 37v which are formed in the top wall4 and have upwardly tapering convex walls to permit the partlyy uncover the ports, and any suitable means, such as knobs 4l, may be secured to the dampers 38 to permit the ready adjustment of the latter. The streams of' air issuing from the ports 35 or 36 of the conduit 20 spread out as they strike the bottom wall 2, and then circulate around the cabinet as here inbefore pointed out. When the ports B4 or 36 are provided at their upper walls with the lips 35, the streams of air issue fromV the ports in planes at right angle to the axis of the conduit 20. rlhe streams of air issuing from the conduit 20 impinge, against the floor 2 of the cabinet l, and the force under which they are directed against the floor controls to a considerable extent the rapidity of the ascent of the air in the cabinet. The force v.under which the air streams impinge against the floor 2 of the cabinet l may be varied to regulate and control the ascent of the air in the cabinet, and this may be accomplishedby adjusting the conduit 20 upwardly or downwardly with respect to the floor. By adjusting the conduit 2O downwardly, the force under which the air streams impinge against the floor 2 of the cabinet l is increased and by adjustin the conduit upwardly, the force under which the air streams impinge against the floor is decreased.

Tracks or guides 42 of elliptical formation in contour are arranged within the cabinet l with their major axes disposed vertically. he tracks or guides 42 are provided at their lower ends with downwardly extending arms 43 which are arranged in socket members 44 secured to the bottom wall 2 of the cabinet l. and they are provided at their upper ends with upwardly extending arms 45 which are arranged in socket n'ieinbers 46 secured to the top wall 4 of the cabinet. rlhe arms 43 and 45 are located at the front sides of the tracks or guides 42. The arms 43 and 45 and the sockets of the members 44 and 4'3 are of rectangular formation in horizontal section, and the arms have a snug lit in the sockets to hold the tracks or guides 42 in vertical position within the cabinet l. The tracks or guides 42 have their upper ends spaced from the top wall 4. Vlhe distance be tween the upper ends of the tracks or guides 42 and the top wall 4, and the relative lengths of the arms 43 and 45.y are such as to enable the arms to be readily applied to and re moved from the socket members 44 and 46 without det-aching such members from the walls 2 and 4. rlie tracks or guides are arranged in pairs with the adjacent tracks or guides in Contact and with their arms 43 and 45 secured together by bolts 42a.y the cennected arms of the adi ac nt tracks or guidesl being arranged in a pair of the socket members 44 and The tracks or guides 42 are provided with elliptical grooves 47 and elliptical slotsfl'b,

- the slots being located in the inner or opposing sides of leach pair of the tracks or guides and communicating with the grooves.

Slides 48 of elongated rectangular formation and having rounded ends 49 are located within the grooves 47 of the tracks or guides 42 with their rounded ends in contact, and they are adapted to be inserted in tracks or guides by way of openings 50 formed'in the lower end portions of the front sides of the tracks or guides. A lug 5l is carried by each of the slides 48 near one endof the latter', and the lugs project through the slots 47b to points beyond the inner sides of the tracks or guides 42. 'Egg carrying trays 52 of elongated rectangular formation in plan and provided with perforated bottoms 53 are arranged between each pair of the tracks or guides 42 and are detachably connected to the slides 48 through the medium of brackets 54 of inverted '1J-form. rlhe brackets 54 are secured to the sides of the trays 52 centrally between the ends of the latter and embrace the lugs 5l. A number of trays 52 are supported one above the other by the front vertical slides 48 of each pair of the tracks or guides 42. The lowermost of the vertical front slides supports the slides and trays disposed thereabove, as shown in Figure 4. In order to remove the trays 52 from the supporting lugs 5l, the trays are lifted ofll therefrom by vertical movement without movement of the slides 48. The trays can be moved in unison in order to lower the trays by moving the lowermost vertical slide 48 rearwardly and permitting the succeeding slide 48 to engage the horizontal run of the track or guide 42.

The widths of the grooves 4T and of the slots 47'? are greater than that of the slides 48 and the lugs 5l respectively, to permit the slides vto move freely in the guides 42, and he width of the grooves at the lower rear corners of the guides is ls1.ilic1ent to permit the lowermost of the slides of the rear vertil cal series to move into the lower horizontal portions of the grooves while trays are being drawn forwardly withrelation to the guides preparatory to removing the trays from their slides. Y Y f The series of trays 52 ,arranged between each pair of the tracks orguides 42 are held together by straps 55 which are pivot-ally and removably connected to the sides of the trays, as at 56. f

As they are connected together by the straps .'55 and as the brackets 54 thereof are roekably connected to the slide lugs 51, the trays 52 of each series may be vmoved into and maintained in a horizontal position or a downwardly and forwardly inclined position or a downwardly and rearwardly inclined position, the rocking of the trays from one position to another elfectingthe turning of the eggs. The means for rocking the trays comprises a shaft 57 journaled in bearings y58 'fisc and 51'of the cabinet 1, and arms 60 fixed at their centers to the shaft and resting upon f thesides of the uppermost trays. The shaft 57 extends .beyondthe front Wall 5 and is provided with a crank 61 through the medium of which it may be turned to rook the trays 52, and a pawl 62 pivoted to the front Wall 5 and engaging a ratchetwheel 63 on the shaft serves to yhold the shaft and the trays in adjusted position. f

Y The cabinet is separated into compartments by transverse partitions 64 and two or more series of the trays 52 and their supporting means may be arranged in leach of the compartments. The partitions 64 com- Y prise lower sections 64?i and upper sections 64b which are connected together by hinges 64. The partitions 64 are provided with vertical slots 65 for the passage and adjust-` ment of the conduit 20. f v

.The trays V52 and their supporting means are arranged within the cabinetl at opposite sides of the conduit 20, and the trays on one or both sides may be used. When it is desired to use the rtrays 52 on lone side only,

partitions 66 are arranged withineach of theA cabinet compartments between the trays that are not to be used and the conduit 20.

These partitions comprise klower sections 66 and upper sections 66", respectively, which are hinged together, as at 66c to permit them to be easily erected within the compartments. The partitions 66 contact with the bottom, side and top walls ofthe compartments, and when they are used, those outletfports of the conduit 20 near the partitions are closed by plugs or in any other suitable manner.

yThe incubator embodies a hatching compartment 67 which is arranged at the rear end thereof and into which the conduit 20 extends to provide it with heatedair. Strips 68 similar tothe strips 12 are secured. in the inner corners of the hatching compartment 67 and their concave outer faces insures an unobstructed path for the heated air through this compartment. The top wall 69 of the hatching compartment 67 inclines upwardly ink the direction of the vertical longitudinal center of the compartment, and is provided in its upper edge with an air discharge slot 70. The walls 7 O'a of the slot are curved and converge upwardly to insure the free passage of the air therethrough. The air is delivered to the bottom of the vhatching compartment 67, and during its upward passage through the compartment carries out any down shed by the chicks. y

l Whilel I have-described the principle of they invention, together with the structure which I now consider the preferred embodiment thereof, it is to be understood that ythe structure shown is merely illustrative and that lsuch changes may vbe made, ywhen desired, as fall within the scope ofthe invention i closing the slots and having the ends of the conduit passing therethrough, means supv porting the: slides for vertical adjustment, means for securing the slides in adjusted position, and means for delivering heated air to the other end of the conduit.

2. An .incubator comprising a cabinet, means forsupplying heat to the cabinet, a pairof relative-ly spaced guides vertically within the cabinet, slides within the guides and provided with lugs, a vertical series of egg carrying trays rockably connected to the lugsof certain of the slides,straps pivotally connectedr to the trays, a shaft passing horizontally through the cabinet, arms secured to the 'shaft andcontacting with the highest tray, a crank secured to the outer end of the shaft, and means for holding the shaft againstaccidental turning movement.

3. An incubator comprising a cabinet, means for heatingl the cabinet, elliptical guides arranged within the cabinet with their major axes vertically disposed, the guides being relatively spaced and provided with elliptical grooves andl slots, the slotsl being located in the opposing faces of the guides and' communicating with the grooves, the guides being provided in their lower front sides with openings and the front portions of the lower walls of the grooves of the guides being horizontal and communicating` with said openings, slides within the grooves of theguides and 'provided with lugs extending through the slots of the guides, the slides being insertible into` the grooves through said openings and the lowermost front slides being supported in vertical position by said horizontal wall, egg carrying trays kbetween the guides, and means securing the trays to the lugs of certain of the slides.

4. An incubator comprising a cabinet having an imperforate bottom wall and provided in its top wall at opposite sides of its longitudinal center with discharge ports, means for varying the effective area of the discharge ports, egg `carrying traysarranged within the cabinet above the bottom wall thereof, a conduit arranged in the longitudinal center ofthe cabinet between the bottom kwall thereof and the egg carrying trays and provided with discharge ports, means for delivering heated air to the conduit, the discharge ports ofthe conduit being located therein to direct the heated air against the bottom wall of the cabinet, means supporting the conduit for adjustment toward and away from the bottom Wall of the cabinet to vary the Jforce under Which the heated air is delivered against said Wall, the means for delivering heated air to the conduit being located outside of the cabinet, and means establishing a flexible connection between the conduit and the air heating and delivering means to permit the conduit to be adjusted With respect to said means. Y

5. An incubator comprising a cabinet pro-V vided above its bottom Wall With a discharge port, egg receiving trays in the cabinet, a pipe located in the cabinet inclose parallel relation to the bottom Wall and provided at its lower side With discharge ports, and means for heating air and delivering the heated air under high velocity from the pipe.

6. An incubator comprising a cabinet provided above its bottom Wall With a discharge port, egg receiving trays in the cabinet, means for heating air and delivering the heated air to the cabinet, and means for supporting said irst named means for adjustment toward and away from the bottom Wall to vary the force under Which the air issuing from the discharge ports of the pipe impinges against said Wall and thus control the rate of ascent of the air in the cabinet.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aiiix my signature.

WILBER L. LONG. 

